Cardinals Rally in Right Field Leads to 11th-Inning Walk-Off Win

The St. Louis Cardinals won a late Friday night game at Busch Stadium that was fueled by an unusual right-field celebration that began with a group of college players and spread throughout the ballpark, culminating in a walk-off hit in the 11th inning against the Kansas City Royals.

The rally took shape when members of the Stephen F. Austin club baseball team, the Lumberjacks, attended the game after traveling from Alton, Illinois, for the National Club Baseball Division II World Series. The Cardinals offered tickets to the group, and 17 players took their seats in the right-field stands. As the game progressed, the Lumberjacks took off their shirts and waved them while singing and chanting, encouraging others to join in from nearby sections.

The energy grew as the Cardinals entered late innings, and it carried into the decisive moment. With Yohel Pozo driving in the winning run on a walk-off single in the 11th inning, the shirt-waving presence had expanded beyond the original group, and the Cardinals mascot, Fredbird, also joined in the activity.

After the game, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said he wants the atmosphere to return. In a social media post, he wrote, “Lets run it...